September 16 - A bill that will codify a partnership made up of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), Franchise Tax Board (FTB), Employment Development Department (EDD), and Department of Justice (DOJ) is headed to the GovernorÕs desk. Legislation unanimously supported by the BOE (Assembly Bill 576, V. Manuel Pérez) would strategically target sales, income, and employment tax evasion using existing resources from the partnersÕ respective departments.ÊCriminal tax evasion in CaliforniaÕs underground economy deprives the state of approximately $9 billion annually through a spectrum of illegal activities such as selling counterfeit goods like Òknock offÓ designer items, exploiting victims of human trafficking, and smuggling tobacco products and other goods into California without paying the required taxes. A report issued by the UCLA Labor Center this year pegs this loss at 11 percent of the total tax revenues owed to the state. ÊAB 576 creates the Revenue Recovery and Collaborative Enforcement (RRACE) Team to formalize data sharing and communication among the BOE, FTB, EDD, and DOJ. The legislation enables these agencies to strategically collaborate and criminally prosecute those who evade state sales, use, excise, income, and employment taxes, with no added cost to state taxpayers. The teamÕs efforts will benefit Californians through its likely recovery of tax dollars which are vital to providing state services, such as public schools, highways, public safety, and health care programs.

For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.